Professionalism: Lost in Translation

Has professionalism lost its meaning? While the new 'business casual' trend & the expansion of social media, we've redefined the word more than once. Let's start with

Social Media~That is NOT Professional:
1) Branding yourself and using your personal page for advertisement one day and to rant about your baby mama/daddy the next
2) Posting videos riddled with mispronounced words, misuse of words, & big words you couldn't clearly define
3) Posting videos bashing another individual for their lifestyle. While the 'industry' is dog eat dog, your concern should be you and the building of your business
4) Posting unedited videos.
5) Posting videos on worldly topics unrelated to your business
Side bar: There clearly needs to be a well-defined class on posting videos for profit. This is an epidemic that is getting out! of! control! And it is running rampant! STOP! Seek assistance IMMEDIATELY! Don't hide behind your pride causing failure in your business by not asking the proper questions when it comes to these horrendous social media videos.
6) Accusing others of 'hating' on you

Dress for Success~Don't Wear That:
1) Ladies, if your skirt is more than 3 inches above your knee, IT IS TOO SHORT
2) Ladies, heels that you CANNOT walk in
3) Ladies, heels that are too big-you know, the ones with TOO much room in the back
4) Ladies, summer dresses in the winter-even with a nice blazer, IT IS NOT CUTE
5) Ladies, peep toes shoes with stockings
6) Ladies, jeggings and leggings are NOT meant to be worn into the workplace-I don't care how you dress them up!
7) Men, seer sucker suits are not in
8) Men & women, there is nothing professional about skinny leg jeans
9) Ladies, if your pants or skirt is so tight that it reveals your panty line a) you need to invest in a couple pair of seamless panties b) your pants are too little
10) Ladies, halter tops, crop tops, tank tops-NO! Just don't do it
Disclaimer: No, I am not a fashionista or a fashion blogger. However, this is just flat out common sense.

We all know that there are some things we should NOT do as it relates to professionalism, especially, when we're building our empires. Ladies, even if you work from home, take some time to make yourself look like somebody when you walk out the door. It does not matter if you are just running into the post office to drop a package off or if you are headed to meet a friend for lunch. I am not saying that you need to get dolled up everyday, but a little facial care, lip gloss, etc. Look at yourself and say, "Would I do business with me?" I know that there are days that you may not feel like it, well, those are the days that you need to stay in the house! With the curtains closed. Make a point to 'feel like it'. Quit looking a HOT MESS when you walk out of the house. Heck, quit looking a hot mess sitting around the house. Get up with intention! Intend to make a difference daily.
Taking care of self first is mandatory IF we plan to take care of business.

There is a Right Way to Write: If you are managing your own social media sites, please, do me a favor and invest in a dictionary and thesaurus. You can find both all, every day at the thrift store. Yes, the thrift store. But, what's even better, dictionary.com is FREE and can be bookmarked on your computer. Spellcheck is wonderful-let's use it. If  Grammar was not your forte, please hire a Grammar Nazi to assist you. Nothing upsets my nerves more than an unprofessionally managed business FB Page, Twitter Post, website or blog. Make sure your posts, tweets, blogs, websites, are grammatically correct if nothing else. It speaks volumes on the level of professionalism when it comes to building your empire. While I am on this kick. Here's a side note: IF you have a blog link on your website and have NOT updated it in 2 years, please REMOVE the link from your site TODAY!

We Are Judged By the Company We Keep: How sad it is that the people we "follow" on social media can cause us to be termed unprofessional? I've always asked the question, "Who do you follow?" or "Are you following the wrong people?" From Facebook to Twitter, following matters. One inappropriate repost or retweet can easily spiral out of control causing others to see you in a negative light. Allowing negativity into your life, your soul and spirit, diminishes your value. It alters your thought process, affects your daily routine, it becomes a part of who you are. Removing negativity from your life can and will increase your value-not only in your "business" world but in your everyday world. Negativity can, in no way, help you succeed in your entrepreneurial journey.

Take some time to evaluate your social media accounts. Do they speak professionalism?
Go through your wardrobe & your everyday presence. Would you do business with you?
Watch your grammar.
Do a heart check of the company you keep. What is being said about the company you keep?